1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus, an image capturing method adopted by the image capturing apparatus and an image capturing program implementing the image capturing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus designed to carry out both optical jiggling correction and electronic jiggling correction, relates to an image capturing method adopted by the image capturing apparatus and relates to an image capturing program implementing the image capturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The common digital video camera and the digital still camera may have a jiggling correction function for correcting image blurring which is caused by jiggling of the hands of the user serving as an image capturing person. In the following description, each of the digital video camera and the digital still camera is also referred to simply as a camera. The jiggling correction function can be divided into two large categories, i.e., a function to carry out optical jiggling correction and a function to carry out an electronic jiggling correction. For more information, the reader is advised to refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-88567.
The optical jiggling correction is carried out by adoption of typically a method making use of a gimbal mechanism for moving the entire group of lenses, a method of providing an optical shift lens at an end of the group of lenses, a method making use of a VAP (variable angle prism) or a method of both providing an optical shift lens and a method making use of a VAP. According to any of the methods, the optical axis of light radiated to an imaging device by way of the group of lenses is shifted in accordance with the amount of jiggling which is detected by a gyro sensor. By shifting the optical axis in this way, effects of the jiggling can be eliminated.
An image capturing area is the entire area of an image generated from the imaging device. The electronic jiggling correction is carried out not by taking the image capturing area as it is as the captured image in order to eliminate effects of the jiggling. Instead, the electronic jiggling correction is carried out by taking a cutout area from the image capturing area as the captured image. The cutout area is a portion of the image capturing area. In the electronic jiggling correction, before the cutout area is used as the captured image, the cutout area is moved within the image capturing area in accordance with the amount of jiggling which is detected by the gyro sensor. In the following description, a range in which the cutout area can be moved within the image capturing area is referred to as an electronic jiggling surplus.